BLOUNTVILLE - The good news is that the North Greene Lady Huskies beat Unaka 50-32 in the Region 1-1A semifinals to advance to the state sectionals. The bad news is they must beat Hampton on Wednesday in order play the sub-state game at home.
North Greene coach James Buchanan said, “One day at a time, there’s enough trouble going on today and we don’t worry about tomorrow. We've got Hampton coming up and we’ll figure out who we play next after that game”.
North Greene will play Hampton on Wednesday at West Ridge at 7 p.m. for the region championship. The winner will host the Region 2-1A runner up on Saturday in the state sectionals, while the loser on Wednesday will travel to the Region 2-1A champion. Oneida and Harriman will play for the Region 2-1A championship on Wednesday.
The Lady Huskies never trailed in Monday's game after Sonya Wanger broke a 5-5 tie early with a jumper from the key. Haley Bailey put in another short jumper and an up and under layup to put the Lady Huskies ahead 11-5.
Unaka's Lyndie Ramsey tried her best to keep things close with a deep three from the elbow and runner in the lane as the first quarter came to close but the Lady Huskies had a 13-10 lead.
Hannah Miller set the tone for the second quarter with a put back and Grace Buchanan was fouled on her was to the basket for an and-one. Then in transition Wagner pulled up for a free throw line jumper that gave her team a 10-point lead at 20-10 at the 5:16 mark. With a little more that two minutes left in the half North Greene played a little stall-ball, and Wagner was fouled and went to the line with 12 seconds left where she sank sank both tosses. Before the buzzer sounded Ramsey nailed a triple from the elbow, but the lady Huskies led 23-17 at the half.
Wagner hit back to back jumpers in the lane to start the third quarter and the Lady Huskies built a 13 point lead at 30-17. Mercy Buchanan found a wide open Miller under the goal for an easy layup with less than a minute to play in the third quarter, and Miller hit one of two from the stripe with three seconds left to round out the scoring and give the Lady Huskies a 36-24 lead.
To start the fourth quarter Cambell Gaby drained a triple from the corner then she found Miller for two under the goal for a 41-24 lead.
Gaby next took an inbound pass to the hoop at the midway point of the final period for a 43-24 North Greene lead. Miller scored on consecutive trips and from there it was just a matter of time as the Lady Huskies went on for a 50-32 victory.
Miller had 15 points to go along with 14 rebounds giving her a double-double, and Wagner had 14 points while Gaby posted 10. Bailey had 12 rebounds for the Lady Huskies.
Coach Buchanan said “Hannah may have been the difference in the ballgame. She stepped up, a double-double is big. She just kept coming on both ends, scoring and rebounding. We've dealt with a lot of injures, hardships and issues all year, you name it we’ve had it ,but here we are”.
For Unaka Lyndie Ramsey scored all but two of the Lady Rangers 32 points and she finishes a great career at Unaka with 2,902 points.
North Greene
Miller 15, Wagner 14, Gaby 10, Bailey 7, G Buchanan 4
Unaka
Ramsey 30, Taylor 2
